Seventeen Years and One Palindrome Later, Nihilus Have Their Debut

Some bands rush a debut. Nihilus took roughly seventeen years. The Bangalore technical death metal band, founded in 2009 by drummer Siddharth Manoharan and guitarist Manu Manjunath, had exactly one release before this autumn — the 2016 EP Without Gray Matter. On 2 October they finally put out Borealis, and it sounds like every one of those years went into it.

A song that runs both ways

The headline detail is a compositional stunt that actually works. The title track, "Borealis", was written to play forwards and backwards — a musical palindrome. The band told The Offering the idea came from a conversation about Blotted Science, who once wrote a piece designed the same way. "We wanted the song to feel both technical and groovy regardless of which direction it was played," they said, "and achieving that took months of experimentation."

The concept grew outward from there. "Borealis" is about an alien invasion, with political notes under the surface, and the rest of the album became a set of standalone stories about Earth's gradual demise under different catastrophes.

Technical, but physical

Tech-death has a habit of turning into a spec sheet. Nihilus mostly avoid that. Montreal's KaosMetal put it well: the riffs are intricate "without turning into exercises, and the drums are mixed to hit rather than to demonstrate." Nine tracks — from "Iridium Delirium" and "Screwfly Solution" to "Choose Your Tyrant" and closer "Omega" — keep the songs under five minutes and the grip tight.

The current lineup completes the picture: Manoharan on drums and backing vocals, Manjunath on guitars, Karthik Hariharan on bass and Pearl Salhotra on vocals. Production is by Siddhart Kamath. The band name Necrophagist, Archspire, Atheist, Origin and Spawn of Possession among their touchstones.

Bangalore's heavy year

Borealis lands in a busy stretch for Bengaluru's extreme scene, the same city that gave 2026 Maneating Orchid's Cold Logic and hosted Bangalore Death Fest. "The Indian metal culture is experiencing a boom," Nihilus said, "and we are fortunate to be part of the scene in this era." Shows are planned from January.

Listen

Stream or buy Borealis (limited CD available) on Bandcamp.

FAQ

Where are Nihilus from?

Nihilus are a technical death metal band from Bengaluru (Bangalore), Karnataka, formed in 2009.

When was Borealis released?

2 October 2026, independently, on Bandcamp and streaming services.

What is special about the song Borealis?

It was written as a musical palindrome, designed to work played forwards or backwards.

Who is in Nihilus?

Siddharth Manoharan (drums, backing vocals), Manu Manjunath (guitars), Karthik Hariharan (bass) and Pearl Salhotra (vocals).